


The Little Things

by Anonymous



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: (mild), Against the Wall - Freeform, Clothed Sex, Desire, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Gift Giving, Kissing, Lust, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Smut, Surprises, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:33:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29752743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Nathaniel finds he has many reasons to thank Warden-Commander Cousland, for little things she has done for him, and he finds the absolute best way to show how grateful he is...
Relationships: Female Cousland/Nathaniel Howe
Comments: 8
Kudos: 3
Collections: Nobody Expects the Dragon Age Smutquisition





	The Little Things

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Evil_Sapphyre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evil_Sapphyre/gifts).



> This is my first foray into Nathaniel x Cousland so I hope you like it!

Nathaniel found himself watching her yet again on their walk back to the Keep as she stopped to help another citizen down on their luck and handing them a few sovereigns from her coin pouch--their warden-commander had a bleeding heart and always tried to help those in need. Her smile as they thanked her profusely made him catch his breath, heart fluttering in his chest. Could this woman really have murdered his father in cold blood? It wasn't the first time he'd asked himself that question as he watched her and with the way his mother had been treated, perhaps his father hadn't been entirely innocent of crimes. It wasn't a far stretch to think the youngest Cousland had been justified in her actions. He should hate her, but instead, he found himself drawn to her, wanting to be close to her and let her into his world. Nathaniel's eyes roamed over her, lingering on her curves, her hands, her lips, wondering how soft her skin would be if he touched her, and what it would be like to kiss her, to taste her and feel her shudder and come undone beneath him. Silently, he scolded himself for the indecent thoughts flicking through his mind; it wouldn't work between them. His father had wanted Thomas to marry her--even if she was closer to his age than his younger brother's--and something seemed wrong in that and of itself, not to mention she probably hated him because of his father's actions. But then something shifted when he saw the statue--the one of his grandfather that had been taken down due to his father's treachery, the one she had told him she would have put back up for his sake.

As she proceeded into the keep with the rest of their party, he caught her arm, holding her back. "Can we talk?"

Deirdre nodded, turning that dazzling smile of hers on him. "Of course, Nathaniel. Can you give me a moment? I would love to get out of this armor."

Maker, he hoped she didn't see the blush he swore was staining his cheeks at the thought of helping her out of said armor. "Yeah. I'll meet you in the courtyard."

She squeezed his arm affectionately, just that touch sending his heart into overdrive as she disappeared into his childhood home, his gaze following after her, before he directed his steps to the courtyard of the keep. Pacing back and forth, he ran a hand through his long black hair, his mind running over what he would say to tell her how he felt. So wrapped up in his own thoughts, he didn't hear her approach or say his name quietly to get his attention. She called his name once more, breaking him out of his reverie, Nathaniel turning his attention to her as she very clearly hid something behind her back. He chose to focus on what she was hiding rather than how near to him she was, how the air between them crackled with energy, her tongue darting out to wet her lips, the little flutter of her pulse that was begging for the stroke of his tongue, and the swell of her breast above her bodice that flattered and hugged her in all the right ways.

"I have something for you." Deirdre pulled an espresso colored longbow out from behind her back, pride plain on her face as she offered it to him.

Something about the sleek bow felt vaguely familiar as he ran his hand along the polished wood, hand tripping over a symbol branded into the dark wood of the bow.

"Is this--" He squinted at the charred mark, tracing the shape with his fingers, a ghost of a smile playing about his lips. "It is! That's the Howe crest burned into the wood right there. This...this is my grandfather's bow."

"I found it in the basement of the keep, and thought you'd like to have it. I even fixed it up for you."

He didn't even have the words to describe what her gesture meant to him--first the statue and now this? The next thing Nathaniel knew, he'd dropped the bow, his hands curling in her silken hair as his lips captured hers, and it was  _ not _ a gentle kiss; it was primal, wild even, as he pulled her closer to him, his hard, lean body pressing against hers. He wanted her-- _ craved _ her, so much he could hardly breathe around her. These feelings had come on so gradually, he hadn't realized immediately what they were, but now, faced with the truth it should have been obvious, Deirdre consuming his every thought as of late. It took a few blissful seconds of feeling her soft lips against his for Nathaniel to come to his senses and realize Deirdre's hands were on his chest, fingers twining into the fabric of his tunic and  _ she was kissing him back _ . Without stopping the kiss, she took a few steps backward, planting her back against the stonewall of the courtyard as Nathaniel grasped her ribcage with strong, warm hands, thumbs tracing circles on her skin through the fabric of her dress. He caught her lower lip between his teeth as he pulled back for air, growling low in his throat and pressing himself closer to her, letting her feel the growing bulge of his erection and how much he wanted this-- _ wanted her _ .

"Deirdre…"

It was the first time he'd allowed himself to call her by name and it just felt so right--he never would've guessed that by breaking into his childhood home to steal back trinkets of his family and his history, he would have found something that meant more to him than all of them combined. 

Deirdre ran her hands up his leanly muscled arms--arms honed by years of mastering his craft as a bowman, to cup the back of his neck as she draped one leg about his hips, placing her mouth by his ear. "Don't stop…"

While he hadn't imagined their first time--and lately it had been all he  _ could _ think about--in the courtyard where anyone could stumble across them, never had an invitation sounded so sweet. Nathaniel's dark eyes glittered ravenously as he looked deep into hers, moving in and kissing her again, his hand gripping her thigh as his fingertips dug into her skin. Deirdre moaned against his lips as she slid her hands down his chest, pulling his tunic out of his pants and making him groan as her fingers dipped below his waistband and easing his pants open to free his erection. Nathaniel's fingers slipped under her smalls finding her already slick as he pulled the fabric to the side. He hitched her other leg around his waist, fitting his cock at her entrance and claiming her lips again as he entered her, and rocked his hips, a broken gasp dropping from her red lips. Sliding her farther up the wall, he wedged himself farther between her legs, Deirdre smiling and wrapping her legs tighter around his waist as his teasing hands travelled up and down her body. Nathaniel stole more kisses and her breath as he thrust into her, his gaze raking over her panting form. Maker's Breath, but she was beautiful. He growled appreciatively, capturing her lips in a rough kiss, her lips parting enough for him to taste her, his tongue seeking hers as he inhaled her exhale.

He kissed the inside of each of her wrists as he draped her arms about his shoulders, inclining his head to trail kisses down her neck, Deirdre melting against him. His hips rocked into hers, a shiver running down her spine as she arched her back, breasts brushing his chest as she angled herself closer. Nathaniel found himself wondering what he could change to make her little moans and whimpers louder—didn’t even care if anyone saw them like this, fully consumed with finally having her after so long wishing for it—the risk of being caught made it all the more thrilling. Her hands felt like they were everywhere at once, lighting a fire wherever she touched, drawing a shudder and a response from where she was wrapped around his hips. Soft hands cupped his bottom, nails digging into his skin through the fabric as she pulled him deeper within her. Their heartbeats pulsed in time together as she matched him thrust for thrust, Nathaniel reaching between them, the fingers of one hand seeking her clit and teasing it in a slow circle, the other hand massaging her breast over her clothes.

She moaned softly, hands tangling in his black hair as he pulled his hips back and snapped them forward. It was a struggle to breathe as he pulled out and thrust into her again, her fingernails stinging his scalp as she pulled his hair, Nathaniel breaking the kiss for air. He was panting as he planted his hands on either side of her head, palms braced against the wall as he drew himself out of her slowly, but not entirely, Deirdre brushing her thumb across the whiskers under his lip, as she cupped his chin bringing his mouth to hers. He swallowed her gasp as he thrust forward…hard. Her walls clenched around his shaft as he pulled back, only the first inch of his cock still inside her, before he snapped his hips forward. He surged into her, sighing in delight as her insides stretched to accommodate him as he filled her to the hilt; she struggled to breathe as she climaxed, his name torn from her throat, husky and tinged with need, making him unravel, feeling his body tighten and pulling out, her name dropping from his lips on a low growl as he came. Nathaniel pressed his forehead against hers, panting quietly, sure the entire keep—including their friends—had just heard them, but all he could think about was taking Deirdre to his bed and wringing screams of his name out of her once more. He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear before he stepped back, the two of them righting their clothes and trying not to show that they'd just had some of the best sex of their lives. He bent to pick up his bow, shooting her a shy smile, Deirdre holding out a hand, silently telling him to take it. And so he did, intertwining his fingers with hers and bringing her hand to his lips.

"Quite possibly the best thank you I've ever received." Deirdre teased as they headed into the keep.

Nathaniel grinned. "Really? I think I can do better."

Her matching smirk sent all the blood straight to his cock as she tugged him along behind her, heading straight for her chambers. "Prove it."


End file.
